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Wow. It’s been more than a week since i last updated the blog, but finally got some time to write.

I have done six shifts so far in the ER. MY first day was chaotic. Me and my colleagues started the day with a reunion with the Chief Nurse of the service. After that we went to know the service, get to know the nurses working there at the time, and observe how the work is done for the rest of the day.

The first day is always supposed to be for observation. But as usual, i started to work.

Since it was Monday, there were lot of people inside the service waiting for their turn, so lot of work to do. I didn’t know where things were, didn’t know how the computer program worked, so i had a lot to learn at the same time there was a lot to do. In the end of the day, i arrived to my home and thought: “Im so screwed!” lol

In the second day, it was a total different day. I spent that shift learning the software used and learned how to do triage. In the Hospital i am working, nurses are responsible to do the triage (before it was made by doctors), and the system used is the famous Manchester Triage. So it was a calm day. I took the opportunity to improve my IV catheterization skills and did several blood collection.

Reanimation Room

I had two straight shifts in the reanimation room. I have to admit, this is the room that at the beginning, scared me the most. First, because the type of situations that can arrive, and second, the speed procedures must be executed. I know im not the fastest guy to do things…

The first shif was extremely calm. There was not a single situation to resolve! My nurse Tutor said that was an odd day. Extremely odd. But in the end, it was good. Meaning that no one needed immediate care, no one in my region was in a life/death situation

In the second shift, it was a different situation. I had a patient that entered the Emergency room diagnosed with a Voluntary Intoxication. He was in need of urgent care, but thanks to our pre hospital emergency team, he arrived stabilized.

These days i noticed that a lot of people come to the ER with voluntary intoxication. Sadly, the survival rate is not 100%. This season is complicated… Autumn (and spring) are known to intensify depressions making the suicide attempts sky rise.

Another note i can give to you, is that have done for the first time CPR (cardiac pulmonary resuscitation) on a real person. We had a patient that entered in fibrillation. We started the Basic Life Support Algorithm, and them passed to the Advanced Life Support Algorithm. Sadly, despite our efforts the patient didn’t survived.

When some one dies, there is one final care that nurses need to do. We need to prepare the deceased for the morgue. When someone dies, we have to do the mummy.  Yes, we call mummy. I don’t know how you say in US or UK, but this is the correct translation from Portuguese.

I have done two mummies so far in 6 shifts. Due to the nature of the emergency room, the mortality rates are higher compared to others services i worked.

Now i have  more days to rest, but saturday a new journey begins…

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